New Bachelor of Education Faculty

Wednesday August 1, 2018

Tyndale welcomes new Bachelor of Education Faculty, Heather Birch (pictured right) and Genie Kim. In addition to teaching, Dr. Birch will also take on the role of co-director of the program as current director and founder, Carla Nelson (PhD) prepares to transition from Tyndale.

As a Tyndale alumna, Dr. Birch graduated with a Bachelor of Religious Studies in 1993. She has since earned several degrees, including her Bachelor of Education in 1997, her Master of Arts in 2013 with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, and recently completed her PhD with OISE as well.

“Dr. Birch brings incredible experience and background to us. She is committed to infusing the arts, mainly her music, into everything she does,” shares Prof. Nelson. Dr. Birch looks forward to the year ahead and Prof. Nelson’s mentorship during that time. “It’s a privilege and honour to be back here. I really feel distinctly called to this position. When I talk to others, they feel that same calling on their life to be here,” notes Dr. Birch.

Genie Kim recently completed her PhD studies in mathematics pedagogy with OISE at the University of Toronto. She will take on some of the courses that Trevor Brown has been teaching, preparing preservice teachers in mathematics. She comes to us with 19 years of teaching experience, largely with the Toronto District School Board. “Math for children is considered a gateway subject, which opens or closes doors. So many students are afraid of math and feel they can’t do it. So really my hope and desire at Tyndale is to teach preservice teachers that math is beautiful, it’s everywhere and everyone can do math,” shares Dr. Kim. She looks forward to her time here at Tyndale, “I love teaching and I love God, and to have the two married together is miraculous.”

Dr. Birch and Dr. Kim both look forward to contributing to Tyndale’s Bachelor of Education program, particularly as academics with multiple years of teaching experience. One of their shared aspirations is to join the research and publication community at Tyndale and develop research opportunities within the BEd program. “We really feel that the things that are happening here are amazing and we’d like to share that with the world,” says Dr. Birch.